Endocrinol Metab.  2011 Sep;26(3):203-207. 10.3803/EnM.2011.26.3.203.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Korean Women: Clinical Characteristics and Diagnostic Criteria

• Sung YA

• KMID: 2169169
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2011.26.3.203

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder of premenopausal women, affecting 4 to 8% of this population. Diagnosis of PCOS lays on a combination of clinical, biological and ultrasound criteria that has been used variably worldwide. The phenotype of women with PCOS is variable depending on ethnic background and diagnostic criteria may rely on it. Fewer studies have extensively examined reproductive and metabolic characteristics and hyperandrogenism in Korean women. Despite the paucity of these studies, they are critical for the ascertainment of criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS. This review address the issues pertaining to diagnostic issues of PCOS in Korean women, specifically: reproductive and metabolic derangements and criteria for hyperandrogenism based on hirsutism and serum androgen concentrations. The prevalence (estimated) of PCOS in Korean women was 5.8%. To diagnose PCOS, the cut off value for hirsutism needs to be differently adjusted in Korean women. Regarding phenotypic characteristics of PCOS in Korean women, the various phenotypes of PCOS have the different overall morbidity (e.g. insulin resistance and hyperinsulinism, abnormal glucose metabolism and metabolic syndrome). Especially patients with oligomenorrhea/polycystic ovary and hyperandrogenism/polycystic ovary did not seem to have metabolic derangements. Thus these subgroups need to be determined if they can be classified as PCOS.

Keyword

Polycystic ovary syndrome; Phenotypes; Diagnosis

MeSH Terms

Female
Glucose
Hirsutism
Humans
Hyperandrogenism
Hyperinsulinism
Insulin Resistance
Ovary
Phenotype
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Prevalence
Glucose

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